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Mid-May 2020 Monthly Musing

Date:

Monday, May 18, 2020

Funding Opportunities Available to Child Care Programs

On May 6, 2020 the Iowa Department of Human Services released information for CARES Act funding support for licensed and registered child care programs. DHS has continued to provide up-to-date information via their website as during this emergency health pandemic, information updates frequently occur. The frequently asked questions page was updated on May 14, 2020 and is available via the DHS website, towards the middle of the page.

Save the Children Action Network: Child Care is Essential

Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) and Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) continue to advocate for young children and their families. On April 22, 2020 SCAN and CCAoA announced the results of a national survey that identified registered voters’ overwhelming support for federal funding to address the worsening child care crisis as a result of COVID-19. This groundbreaking poll, commissioned by SCAN and CCAoA, highlights the child care industry’s vital importance to American families and the American economy.​

Iowa Early Learning Standards - Abridged Version

The Iowa Early Learning Standards (IELS) are a resource to support and enhance children’s learning and development. The standards are a tool to share information among families, caregivers, child care providers, family support, mental health, and health care professionals, teachers, program administrators, and others who care for or work with children during the first 2,000 days of life.

During this COVID-19 pandemic, many families, caregivers, and teachers are considering how to support young children’s learning. To address this question, an abridged version of the Essential Considerations Section of the Iowa Early Learning Standards – 3rd ed. is provided for quick reference. It is suggested to review the specific topical areas of The Role of Relationships in Learning, The Importance of Physical and Mental Health, The Importance of Play, and The Role of Technology and Interactive Media. Each of these topics will provide a high-level overview of important considerations for supporting young children’s development and learning. Please note, these will not tell readers what to teach but instead details to consider and pay attention to when supporting learning opportunities. Also, this document does not replace the Iowa Early Learning Standards.

Estándares de aprendizaje temprano de Iowa - 3ªedición

Public Comment Request for the Title V Block Grant

IDPH and University of Iowa-Division of Child and Community Health (Iowa's Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Administrators) are seeking comments from the public regarding the federal grant that provides important health services to mothers and children.

The Title V Block Grant is a federal-state partnership to address eight National Performance Measures (NPMs) and seven State Performance Measures (SPMs). One requirement of the Title V Block Grant is to gain public input concerning priorities, needs, and proposed program activities. State priorities were chosen for the five year grant period based on the 2021 Title V Needs Assessment. Your input is important at all times to help IDPH understand how well programs are working.

Whether you want to comment specifically on the Title V Block Grant and the state's activities related to that or you want to comment more generally on the needs of children and families, your interest and willingness to provide input is appreciated. Note that when comments are reported, they are summarized so that people making them are not identified.

Even if you do not have any comments regarding the proposed activities, please take a moment to complete the survey stating that you had no comments. This is a way we can track and evaluate the effectiveness of web-based distribution. Please feel free to forward this on to any of your distribution list who you think would have an interest. Thank you for your continued support to improve the lives of Iowa's mothers, children and families!